Simon Callow brings Dickens to life in Mr Chops and Doctor Marigold at Malvern Theatres (From Hereford Times)

Simon Callow brings Dickens to life in Mr Chops and Doctor Marigold at Malvern Theatres

11:24pm Sunday 20th November 2011 in Reviews By Fiona Phillips

Mr Chops and Doctor Marigold

Malvern Theatres

The word genius is overused. But when you see it there is no doubting the real thing.

And watching theatrical giant Simon Callow on stage in Malvern this week was most definitely the genuine article.

Callow brought to life two of the many characters created by writer and social commentator Charles Dickens, which allowed the author to indulge a lifelong interest in travelling shows and theatre underlined with a satirical nod to his political views.

Seemingly a world apart in character Mr Chops, a dwarf exhibit in a freak show, who discovers that achieving your wildest dream doesn’t always bring happiness and the mild-mannered cheapjack Doctor Marigold, who discovers that kindness really does pay, are a living history lesson, illuminating much about life and mores in the 19th century.

Shifting effortlessly from tragedy to belly-laugh humour, Callow doesn’t just present both characters, he inhabits them. Impossible as it sounds he grows and shrinks in stature and ages before your very eyes, bringing the audience to tears of sadness and laughter with the twitch of an eyebrow.

While there is no getting away from the fact that the writing is of the highest quality, only a performer of the highest capability could have delivered a performance, single-handedly, that held a crowded theatre captive. There wasn’t a cough or a rustle of sweet papers as everyone hung on to his every word and gesture, desperate not to miss a line so the magic wouldn’t end.

Dickens was well known for his live readings of his works… and Callow’s representation of the master is both a fitting tribute and fresh and contemporary.

There are so many reasons for going to see this show, it’s charming; it’s funny and provides a biting social commentary as relevant in the 21st century as it was in its day. But, quite frankly, the chance to watch the genius Callow at work is worth the admission fee alone.